Subsidy fraudsters behind my mum’s kidnap, says Okonjo-Iweala

She told reporters yesterday that she “can’t give all the details because we don’t want to compromise on-going investigations”, but, according to her, her mother told investigators that the abductors said she was kidnapped because her daughter refused to pay subsidy cash and blocked payment to certain components of the SURE-P programme.

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said: “Apart from the emotional trauma of being violently taken away from her family and kept incommunicado for five days in a strange environment, a woman of 83 years was left without food and water for five days.”

The Okonjo family, she said, “are thankful and give glory to God that she is alive today to tell the tale.”

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said the kidnappers “spent much of the time harassing the old woman. They told her that I must get on the radio and television and announce my resignation. When she asked why, they told her it was because I did not pay oil subsidy money; they also said I had blocked payment of money to certain components of the SURE-P programme.”

These, she said, are not true. In the case of subsidy payments, she said, the government has been paying all marketers whose claims have been verified by the Aig-Imoukhuede Committee after going through the processes.

But she remained defiant that claims that can not be verified or marketers still owing the government will not be paid.

Said the minister: “For marketers whose transactions are proven to be fraudulent, the position of the Jonathan government is also clear; we cannot and we will not pay. We will not back down on this. We will continue to stand firm.” This is the right thing to do. And this, I believe, is what the Nigerian people want.

With regards to the case of SURE-P, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said: “There is a totally different process that I have no control over.”

The minister was grateful to members of the international community for their support, notably “the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Mr David Cameron, who took the trouble to write a personal note to encourage me; the United States Embassy and government; the Secretary General of the United Nations and the entire UN family; the President of the World Bank and former Presidents of the World Bank; the Managing Director of the IMF; the Mo Ibrahim Foundation; Bono and the One Foundation; Heads of international agencies and dignitaries”.

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala thanked President Goodluck Jonathan and the First Lady who, she said “were absolutely wonderful and first rate in their support and encouragement to me and my family throughout this terrible ordeal”. “The President took a daily interest in the case and gave directives for appropriate action by the security agencies.”

The security agencies she noted also did a good job. She said they were “very professional and enthusiastic in the discharge of their duties”. “I am hopeful that they will complete the job which they started so well.”

However, the news conference was tempered by the death of the former governor of Kaduna State Mr Patrick Yakowa, and the former National Security Adviser, Gen Andrew Azazi, in an helicopter crash at the weekend.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, said her heart “is heavy, with the news of the passing of my brothers, Governor Patrick Yakowa, General Andrew Aziza and the others who were on that last flight with them. “It is, indeed, a great tragedy. Our sympathy and prayers go to their families. We pray for divine comfort for them in this very difficult time.”

You are right madam! Do not be detered. They want to milk this cow (Nigeria) to death unchallenged. Anyone whose claims cannot be verified should not be paid. Somebody has got to stand for what is right, no matter the odds.

Coco-Bassey,Esu

madam subsidy u think u can brain wash nigerians as usual with ur fruadulent and hypocritical policy of looting our resources and ur foul games with oil carbals,where is d refinery u promised dat before december during january protest?where is d so called safety net promised from SURE P,Where is d job creation u sing and shout about on pages of d newspapers,what is Arauma Oteh still doing in NSA upon accusation of corrupt practice and lack of leadership skill not posses by her?pls madam can u shut up and work if u come to serve wit patrotic mind and kindly release d 63 people arrested by d police and order for d arrest nd prosecution of these carbals since they kidnap ur mother

K O

I am so happy for you my dear Minister, good will alway triump over bad, no matter what they will do to sabortage your effort the good lord will always crown you with glory, please dont be deter by the evil plot of these enemies of progress , our heavenly father the God that created heaven and earth will be your security, you are a great inspiration to a lot of people and you will continue to be and also excell in what you believe in concerning the issue of this Country.

Emmy

This minister can’t inspired an objective human,cos, she is a deciever,promiscos and a betrayal 2 dis nation.

Comrade Abayomi

Whether we like the truth or not; the rate of kidnapping, arm robbery and other anti-social acts will continue to rise in this nation. Since, some leaders could allocate over #500m to feeding of dogs in a year and majority of Nigerians suffer in abject poverty. The other time the EFFC discovered that one woman alone had over 77 houses and some Nigerians cannot avoid a room apartment. Nigeria Leaders should try to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor, if they are serious about security issue.

DrP2

You mean these are the type of bandits government is dealing with on a daily basis who can extend their modus operandi to kiidnapping and govt appears helpless?

You mean they cant be de-registered, sent to jail or at least quarantined from law abiding soceity?

Surely if they can do this to a minister and remain free to roam their roost we are all certainly doomed

We can only say that when you sleep with dogs you come up with flees

Akp

May God help us.

Ignaze

In the position Minister, Okonjo Iweala should stop jumping into conclusions without investigations being carried out. How can she prove that oil marketters are behind her mothjer’s kidnap. At her position, her pronouncements show some degree of iliteracy. This is the truth.

Dear Minister, I believe most Nigerians are happy about the safe release of your mother and curse her kidnappers and those who sent them. Being rotten to the core many people don’t believe there are clean Nigerians in and out of power but many also trust you and your proud pedigree and are proud of you. Keep up your good work; God will continue to protect you from the evil Nigerians in and out of government, who are only interested in treasury-looting and don’t care a hoot whether Nigeria survives or not. Nemesis will catch up with them, Amen.

kruger brent

the only way i can believe your story is if you can name the subsidy fraudsters behind your mom,s kidnap….the other day you said you have recovered 2.9billon from unnamed marketers and gullible nigerians took the story hook line sinker…you know why you are talking anyhow is because this is nigeria where anything goes….can you talk anyhow in your duty post in US????

Prince ojokos

GEJ should reshuful his cabinet immediately because good and patriotic people are very few in the cabinet . Madam minister seems to be alone.

Salvage

The SURE-P programme committee or issues have nothing to do in the kidnapping. Here the kidnappers were merely told to misinform, or a misdirection.

Yes those who swindled huge fuel subsidy and now asked to refund money could be in it. But they are scattered all over the country to co-ordinate kidnapping, except few of them that may want to act for themselves and went to contract the petty criminals.

My hunch points far more precisely to the top political side of the Petroleum Ministry and those top PDP that are benefiting from stolen crude oil which the current various investigations, the presence and stand of Iweala do not allow them the stealing busy as usual. All these hover around the Niger Delta people.

Namadi Stephen

It is a lie?

Madam Minister we all know even if you have a miscarriaage today, you’ll blame it on fuel subsidy. It is not Nigerians that make you to fail in getting the World Bank appointment. What has fuel subsidy to do with the old professor?

You can not get Nigerians with this kind of games.

babs

y tring to politicize dis issue,y nt do what is right to the economy.y not give good advise to the president.where are th refinerie u promised earlier dis year,where are the jobs u promised,where is the downfall of fuel price.Madam am sorry to tell u dat dis issue will continue untill u do the right tin to the economy or else leave or watch out for more.

POSITIVE VIBRATIONS.

Really I see no reason why people come online to post comments from their back side. What has this woman said to deserve abuse? She is fighting corruption and corruption is hitting back. I think what she deserves is support and prayers.

Why are they not abusing the oil thieves? How much of the over 1trillion spent on subsidy this year got to the poor man on the steet? How much of this got to the thieves? Let us reason b/4 we post comments on national issues. The same marketer will divert subsidy fuel and sell at N150 to N200 per ltr or more, yet you open your mouth to abuse a lady who is fighting them. The earlier we stop this wastage call subsidy, the better for Nigeria.

Namadi Stephen

fighting corruption indeed.

willybee

Oga positive vibration. Please ask the finance minister how much they paid in subsidy in 2011 and 2012. There is no difference. What has changed is not the looting but the looters. The finance minister and her cohort in government have simply ditched oil marketers before January 2012 for new ones who probably are their friends, relations, in-laws and so on. If the minister is truly fighting corruption she should tell us the names of current oil marketers and how much she had paid them as compared with payment in previous years. There will be no difference.

Egwu

Dear Minister, we are happy about the release of your mother. We are also happy with the sanity your are gradually bringing to the subsidy issue. Please do not be deterred. We know that good will always triumph over bad. We need more strong-will people, like Dora Akinyuli in the cabinet so that the polity can be sanitized from different platforms. The oil subsidy cabal should know by now that their days are numbered.

Emmanuel Joe

The honourable minister of finance, the good God will continue to protect you from all evil.
God is light and the light of God will be upon you to expose the evil fuel marketers who enjoy dwelling in darkness. The dark age of the country call Nigeria has come to an end because there no agreement b/w light and darkness. Mr. President have this nation at heart and mean well for this country hence your appointment as a finance minister, making u to be part of his cabinet is to bring and restore sanity into the ministries. The country is sting with corruption that is why the very government have so many critics. I see that is not business as usual. BUT inspite of all these odds, I believe in Almighty God that this country will stand out among the comity of nations. No matter what the people says, don’t be destracted, be focus because the victory is rest asured in Jesus name.

Mummy minister,I really admire your effort and you audacious steps towards making the economy of this country a better one. But what I wanna let you know is; that you are working with the wrong set of people(FGN),they are nothing but a silhouettes of their real selves…why not join US(the BIAFRANS)to emancipate ourselves from such mental slavery.

HERO

THERE ARE TWO MAJOR PROBLEMS IN NIGERIA:ILLITERACY AND IGNORANCE.POVERTY IS SECONDARY.THOSE ATTACKING NGOZI THROUGH THIS MEDIUM ARE THE PURVEYORS OF THE THREE CANKERWORMS.THEY ARE URCHINS WHO TAKE DELIGHT IN DENIGRATING GREAT PEOPLE WITHOUT MAKING THE SLIGHTEST EFFORT TO CHANGE THEIR MISERABLE LIVES.

willybee

Hero. How many lives of easterners have the minister of finance changed? How are the condition of roads in the east before she became minister and how are the roads now? Nothing really has changed in the lives of the people. If she truly loves Nigeria and committed to its development as she claims, why did she want to abandon Nigeria for the world bank? The minister is simply playing cheap and dirty politics with her mother’s kidnap. If the oil marketers were indeed behind the kidnap, there would have been very slim chance of her being released alive. She should name names of the oil marketers behind the kidnap.

Abdulrahim yahya

Okonjo or whatever u are called,u have not been sincere with Nigerian. U can pay yourself millions of dollars as salary but the ordinary Nigeria workers cannot be paid minimum wage of eighteen thousand Naira. I’m surprised they only kidnap your mother, they should have kidnap you too,so that you can spend part of the money you stole from Nigerian. Am sure you know the money wont follow u to the grave. Its good that your mother benefit from your wickedness. So, don`t try to deceive Nigerians.